Ellyanne Wanjiku Chlystun, a 14-year-old Kenyan girl, has gained global recognition for her efforts in combating climate change. Inspired by Nobel laureate Wangari Maathai, Kenya’s most famous tree planter, Ellyanne began her environmental journey at the age of four.
Maathai’s activism, particularly her work in planting millions of trees to fight deforestation and promote environmental sustainability, deeply resonated with Ellyanne. Despite her mother’s initial concerns about the dangers Maathai faced as an activist, Ellyanne remained determined to follow in her footsteps, starting her own tree-planting efforts at a young age.
Encouraged by her early success, Ellyanne’s passion for environmental conservation grew, leading her to launch a non-profit organization, Children With Nature, in 2017. Her goal was to inspire other children to take action for the environment by teaching them how they could make a difference in their communities.
Through this initiative, Ellyanne became a leading advocate for tree planting, having personally planted around 250,000 trees by 2020. Along with her growing global network of fellow tree lovers, she helped plant over 1.3 million trees worldwide, visiting countries like Uganda, the UK, and the USA to further her mission.
Kenyan Teen Ellyanne Wanjiku Chlystun Gains Global Recognition for Tree Planting and Climate AdvocacyWhile her tree-planting activities slowed down over the last three years due to other climate change-related campaigns, Ellyanne remained deeply engaged in global environmental advocacy.
She balanced her schoolwork with her activism, maintaining excellent grades while attending high-profile events like the 2023 climate summit in Dubai. There, she met King Charles and spoke about the links between climate change and the spread of diseases like malaria, which has become more prevalent in parts of Kenya due to shifting weather patterns.
Ellyanne’s advocacy also extends to raising awareness about the impacts of climate change through media. She starred in a video produced by the UK-based charity Malaria No More, directed by Grammy award-winner Meji Alabi and featuring David Beckham.
The video emphasizes how climate change contributes to worsening weather patterns and the spread of diseases. Ellyanne also participated in the documentary *Save Our Wildlife*, highlighting the effects of climate change on animals, especially her favorite, the elephant. The documentary has been nominated for an award at the prestigious Wildscreen Panda Awards.
Despite her involvement in high-profile projects, Ellyanne remains committed to her original passion for tree planting. She dreams of contributing to Africa’s Green Belt initiative, a massive tree-planting effort to stop the desertification caused by the Sahara Desert’s expansion.
Ellyanne hopes to be a catalyst in the global effort to plant one trillion trees by the time she turns 18, a goal she believes is achievable given her relentless optimism and determination.
Although inspired by Prof. Maathai’s environmental and political activism, Ellyanne does not see herself pursuing a political career. Her current focus is on completing her education, with aspirations to study economics in college.
For now, she is dedicated to continuing her environmental work, inspiring young people around the world, and demonstrating that, with resilience and determination, significant change is possible.